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Encyclopedia Virginia - Virginia Humanities
Grades
4 to 12
Encyclopedia Virginia is your ultimate resource for learning about the history and culture of the state of Virginia. The content on this site provides information in many different...more
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Encyclopedia Virginia is your ultimate resource for learning about the history and culture of the state of Virginia. The content on this site provides information in many different ways. Use the included links to find information within an A-Z index, maps, podcasts, virtual tours, and more. To find specific content, use the keyword search then narrow down results using the provided filters for type of material, source, or category. Be sure also to check out the section for educators with links to content matching Virginia SOL standards. Register on the site to bookmark and save information for easy access at any time.
tag(s): african american (115), american revolution (82), black history (133), civil rights (209), civil war (139), colonial america (95), colonization (21), constitution (96), politics (118), primary sources (117), slavery (79), virginia (15), virtual field trips (128), washington (28), world war 1 (77), world war 2 (161)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to use for lesson planning and student research if you teach Social Studies in any state. Take advantage of the virtual tours on the site to provide a real look at historic sites that go beyond the pages of textbooks. Instead of reading stories found in textbooks, ask students to browse the site to find interesting events during the period being studied. Use these ideas as the basis for student research projects. Encourage students to imagine themselves as a participant in events in history. Ask students to extend learning by using this Headline Generator, reviewed here, as a story starter to retell and analyze moments in history. Share the site's podcasts in listening centers or as an option for flipped learning. Use the podcasts as models for students to create their own podcasts for retelling events in history through the perspective of someone alive during that time. Podcast Generator, reviewed here, will enhance learning and provides free tools for creating and sharing podcasts.Be Washington - George Washington's Mount Vernon
Grades
6 to 12How would you deal with the challenges faced by George Washington? Click the dots (menu) on the right to see all the options (including lesson plans) on this site. Try ...more
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How would you deal with the challenges faced by George Washington? Click the dots (menu) on the right to see all the options (including lesson plans) on this site. Try your hand either as a single player or join a multi-player game. Another option allows you to host a multiplayer game. Choose from four scenarios to begin play. Play starts with a video reenactment of the crisis faced and a short explanation of the situation. Players face options to interact with advisors offering different opinions then provide a rating of agreement with their conclusion. After making your choice, find out how George Washington responded. This site also includes lesson plans for some of the scenarios with more being added. Find the lesson plans by clicking the dots on the right on the home screen before starting the game.
tag(s): american revolution (82), presidents (135), washington (28), white house (16)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce your unit on the American Revolution. Follow the instructions to create a multiplayer game for your classroom using small groups. Instead of written reports, extend student learning by asking students to research the different points of view provided by advisors within the game. Then modify learning by having them create a website either individually or in small groups using Carrd, reviewed here, to share information backing up their final decision within the game including links to research sites and their supporting writing activities. As a class project, use student research to modify learning and create an interactive book using Book Creator, reviewed here. Have students enhance their learning by using Be Washington as a model to create podcasts using Spotify for Podcastors, reviewed here, to reenact the challenges faced by George Washington.Teachers Righting History - Rosie Rios
Grades
5 to 12This educational project developed by a former Treasurer of the United States offers a database highlighting historic American women. During her time as Treasurer, Rosie Rios sought...more
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This educational project developed by a former Treasurer of the United States offers a database highlighting historic American women. During her time as Treasurer, Rosie Rios sought input from around the country as part of her efforts to put a woman on U.S. currency. After leaving her office, she developed this site to share the database of information and encourage classrooms around the country to recognize contributions of American women to history. Download the database as a PDF document containing a list of women shared with the treasury and including date of birth, date of death, a one-sentence synopsis, and an image. Also, Teachers Righting History provides a few suggestions for getting started and using the database in classrooms.
tag(s): biographies (94), currency (14), women (151)
In the Classroom
Download and share the database provided on the site as a starting point for many different history projects. Enhance student learning and begin your project by having students choose a famous woman and personalizing a dollar bill with her image using Festisite Money, reviewed here. As students continue researching famous women, share our TeachersFirst Women's History Month Resources located here, as a starting point for finding information. Instead of just creating a list of online resources for student research, engage students by creating interactive learning activities using a tool like FigJam, reviewed here. FigJam allows you to highlight, add comments, and add sticky notes including video to any web page. Students reply directly within the page and add their own notes. As a final project, enhance learning by asking students to use a timeline tool like Time Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here, to share information about their research and add context with other historical events of the time.History Tech - Glenn Wiebe
Grades
7 to 12History Tech is an outstanding blog for history and social studies teachers created by curriculum and technology integration consultant Glenn Wiebe. Wiebe shares resources and lesson...more
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History Tech is an outstanding blog for history and social studies teachers created by curriculum and technology integration consultant Glenn Wiebe. Wiebe shares resources and lesson ideas with a focus on game-based learning and technology integration. Browse through the blog's feed to view the latest posts, use the search box to search by keyword, or click on commonly used tagged words. To find specific topic content scroll down to the bottom of the home page and use the drop box featuring History Tech Topics. Be sure to sign up with your email address to receive the most recent posts directly to your inbox.
tag(s): back to school (55), branches of government (65), digital storytelling (154), game based learning (205), maps (220), politics (118), primary sources (117), social media (48), teaching strategies (50)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to reference throughout the school year. Use the keyword search option to find ideas for specific units or technology tools to use. Use a bookmarking tool like Wakelet, reviewed here, to collect and share information from this blog along with your other resources. As you gather lesson ideas and create your unit, use Nearpod, reviewed here, to create differentiated lesson activities for your students.Budgeting for the Future - Committe for a Responsible Federal Budget
Grades
8 to 12Use this interactive tool to compare and contrast different plan options for reduction of the federal deficit. Choose from the various plans offered on the site, then select categories...more
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Use this interactive tool to compare and contrast different plan options for reduction of the federal deficit. Choose from the various plans offered on the site, then select categories to view proposals. Compare up to three plans at one time. Although this interactive compares plans from 2021, the information is still valuable for those interested in understanding the impact of policies on any budget.
tag(s): financial literacy (93), politics (118)
In the Classroom
Share this interactive with students to increase understanding of different budget options. Have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast options found in different plans.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
The Reformer: An Interactive Tool to Fix Social Security - Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
Grades
8 to 12How do we fix Social Security to make it sustainable for future generations? Try your hand at making changes using this interactive calculator. Select from options to adjust benefits...more
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How do we fix Social Security to make it sustainable for future generations? Try your hand at making changes using this interactive calculator. Select from options to adjust benefits and revenues to view long-term modifications to the solvency of the Social Security trust fund.
tag(s): financial literacy (93), politics (118)
In the Classroom
Include this interactive with your other resources on lessons about government and government spending. Before making choices on the interactive, ask students to interview and record relatives to get their input on Social Security financing. Students may not understand a lot of vocabulary and terms related to Social Security, get a fast assessment of their understanding using Baamboozle, reviewed here. This is a quick and easy game creator that offers users multiple types of games for two teams and keeps score as you play. Consider asking students to create podcasts discussing different issues related to Social Security. Choose from several different free podcasting tools including Spotify for Podcasters, reviewed here.The Fiscal Ship - Hutchins Center on Fiscal & Monetary Policy at Brookings
Grades
8 to 12Your challenge in this game is to manage the federal budget and keep it on a sustainable course. Choose from a menu of tax and spending options to reduce debt ...more
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Your challenge in this game is to manage the federal budget and keep it on a sustainable course. Choose from a menu of tax and spending options to reduce debt levels over the next 25 years. The real challenge to winning is to manage the budget while maintaining your values and priorities. Scroll down the page to download the game guide, and click the link to start the game.
tag(s): branches of government (65), financial literacy (93), game based learning (205)
In the Classroom
Share this game with students as part of your study of government and economics. Choose YouTube video explanations of taxes and entitlements to help students understand these topics, then use a tool like Edpuzzle, reviewed here, to add questions and comments to the videos to increase student understanding. Ask students to explore one of the topics found during the game and create an infographic using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here.What is Fiscal Policy? Interactive Teaching Tools - Peter G. Peterson Foundation
Grades
8 to 12Learn about and understand complex financial policies through this interactive teaching option. Learn about the federal budget with The Fiscal Ship, a game that challenges players to...more
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Learn about and understand complex financial policies through this interactive teaching option. Learn about the federal budget with The Fiscal Ship, a game that challenges players to keep their financial ship upright through policy and debt choices. Use the search bar to encourage students to think about a variety of different types of financial concerns facing individuals and the government.
tag(s): financial literacy (93)
In the Classroom
Engage students and extend their knowledge with the interactive offered on this site during your current finance lessons. Ask students to explain a financial concept using Google Drawings, reviewed here. If you need help this tool, you could watch an archived OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. Use Google Drawings with any appropriate image to add links to websites, videos, and images. Upon completion of your finance unit, ask students to create an interactive book using Ourboox, reviewed here. Ourboox offers tools for publishing digital books that include images, video, and audio in addition to text
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Ford's Theatre Education Resources - Ford's Theatre
Grades
3 to 12Where is a better place to find resources for teaching about Abraham Lincoln than Ford's Theatre? Employ the filters on the site to locate videos, lessons, primary sources, and much...more
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Where is a better place to find resources for teaching about Abraham Lincoln than Ford's Theatre? Employ the filters on the site to locate videos, lessons, primary sources, and much more to use with students in grades 3 and up. Full lessons include correlation to Common Core Standards, handouts, and rubrics for assessment. The videos reside on YouTube. If your school blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
tag(s): civil war (139), lincoln (66), presidents (135), primary sources (117)
In the Classroom
Use the materials found on this site to supplement your lessons on Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. Find additional Lincoln and Civil War materials at Actively Learn, reviewed here. Lessons on Actively Learn include embedded questions correlated to Common Core Standards for developing reading and comprehension skills. Organize your entire Lincoln unit and share materials (including videos with embedded questions) with students using Canvas Free LMS, reviewed here. Create an entire learning path with all of your materials using Canvas LMS, reviewed here.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Lincoln's Assassination - Ford's Theatre
Grades
5 to 12Take an in-depth investigation into the events of April 14, 1865, at Ford's Theatre and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln through eyewitness accounts and exploration of the evidence...more
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Take an in-depth investigation into the events of April 14, 1865, at Ford's Theatre and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln through eyewitness accounts and exploration of the evidence left behind using materials found on this interactive site. Begin with questions to consider during your investigation then continue to read about first-hand accounts provided by witnesses in different areas of the theatre. Finally, examine the physical evidence including Lincoln's clothing and items found in John Wilkes Booth's pockets. Complete the activity as you return to the original questions with evidence in hand to support your conclusions.
tag(s): civil war (139), lincoln (66), presidents (135), primary sources (117)
In the Classroom
Include this website with your Civil War unit, President's Day, or Abraham Lincoln lessons. Instead of gathering information from textbooks to learn about Lincoln's death, ask students to be the investigators and gather and analyze facts on their own. Begin by sharing the questions found on this site using Padlet, reviewed here. Create a column for each question in your Padlet, then have students add evidence found on this site and others to support their answer. To enhance learning and help students organize their thinking, use a timeline creator from ReadWriteThink, reviewed here, to understand the order of events. Transform student learning as a final activity, by asking students to share their findings including evidence in an explainer video created with Typito, reviewed here.Immigration Nation - iCivics
Grades
5 to 8Use this simple matching game from iCivics to learn the requirements of becoming a citizen in the United States. With this interactive online game, iCivics keeps to the facts, avoiding...more
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Use this simple matching game from iCivics to learn the requirements of becoming a citizen in the United States. With this interactive online game, iCivics keeps to the facts, avoiding issues of asylum and "dreamers" (people brought to the U.S. as children and raised there). The appealing character of Liberty Belle, assistant to the Statue of Liberty, will help younger students persist in learning the facts about becoming a citizen in the United States.
tag(s): game based learning (205), immigration (68), landmarks (22), politics (118)
In the Classroom
Since the topic of immigration can be a sensitive issue in any American classroom today, you may want to use the lessons in From Provocative to Productive, reviewed here to introduce how to have a respectful discussion (and develop critical thinking skills along the way). Once you feel students are versed a bit in diplomacy, use Immigration Nation as an introduction making sure students know the facts about becoming a citizen in the United States. Share the game on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector. In order to assure your students know the requirements before participating in a discussion of this hot political issue, you may want to play with the entire class first, reminding students they need to learn the facts before they can effectively debate the issues. Then allow students to play on their own on the whiteboard or classroom computers, keeping a log of their actions and results. Once students know the facts, you could set up a discussion using Thinkalong, reviewed here to practice their discussion and argument strategies. With older students, a next step might be to take the debate public using Virtual Debate, reviewed here which has online examples and resources for conducting virtual debates.KidCitizen - Congress, Civic Participation, and Primary Sources Project
Grades
K to 5KidCitizen is a series of interactive episodes for students in grades K-5 using primary source documents to explore and learn about civic matters. Also, the KidCitizen Editor lets you...more
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KidCitizen is a series of interactive episodes for students in grades K-5 using primary source documents to explore and learn about civic matters. Also, the KidCitizen Editor lets you customize existing episodes or create game-based activities with primary sources you choose. The Getting Started Guide provides an excellent overview of the online tools and how to get started producing your episodes.
tag(s): american flag (7), communities (35), congress (40), DAT device agnostic tool (147), game based learning (205), national parks (29), symbols (15)
In the Classroom
KidCitizen works across all devices, share a link to episodes on classroom computers for students to watch as a learning center activity. Flip your classroom and have students view at home before discussing concepts in class. As students interact with content in the episodes, take advantage of the many resources found at Classtools, reviewed here, to create concept maps, quizzes, and online games. If you teach younger students, create additional interactive games with your own content using oodlu, reviewed here. Ask older students to create their own games using oodlu. As a final project, have students create books using WriteReader, reviewed here. Write Reader is a very easy to use tool for even young students and includes features for sharing invented writing along with correct spelling. For older students, consider using Book Creator, reviewed here that features more robust digital storytelling tools.That's Your Right - Annenberg Classroom
Grades
5 to 12Learn about the Bill of Rights by playing this challenging card game. Click start to view the tutorial and choose to play from the single or multiplayer options. Choose from ...more
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Learn about the Bill of Rights by playing this challenging card game. Click start to view the tutorial and choose to play from the single or multiplayer options. Choose from three different levels of difficulty to begin play. Watch videos of Amendments 1-10 as you play. The goal of the game is to gain freedom by collecting and matching scenario cards to features of the Bill of Rights as you play. There is background music that can be turned off.
tag(s): bill of rights (33), branches of government (65), constitution (96), game based learning (205)
In the Classroom
Include this game with any lessons on the Bill of Rights. Challenge students to compete against each other and move up through the different levels of difficulty. Include the site with your other resources on a bookmarking site like Papaly, reviewed here. Papaly includes the option to add and share notes with bookmarks, add teaching notes for your future use or if sharing with students, ask them to add tips into the comments section. Upon completion of your unit, enhance learning by having students create animated videos using Powtoon, reviewed here, to share their understanding of the Bill of Rights.Case Maker - Bean Creative
Grades
6 to 8Case Maker is a collection of 20 civics challenges for middle school students. Share individual challenges with students using the provided Challenge Code. Once students access the...more
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Case Maker is a collection of 20 civics challenges for middle school students. Share individual challenges with students using the provided Challenge Code. Once students access the challenge, the site offers tools for adding annotations and creating case folders. Once complete, students use information as a reference for other assignments or share their work using the site's presentation mode feature. Use your free Case Maker account to modify text and associated primary sources within challenges and follow student progress. Be sure to watch the introductory videos for teachers and students.
tag(s): black history (133), civil rights (209), constitution (96), democracy (24), elections (82), freedom of speech (14), immigrants (34), immigration (68), inquiry (24), media literacy (109), politics (118), racism (79), Research (87), world war 2 (161)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free materials on this site to encourage debate and discussion within your current civics lessons and lessons on civil rights and racism. Introduce Case Maker by showing the class the student introductory video. Each lesson includes primary sources to use when responding to prompts; ask students to find and share additional primary sources to include in their response to each question. Instead of just creating a list of additional resources, engage students and augment classroom technology use by sharing additional resources using Padlet, reviewed here. Padlet offers features for adding comments; ask students to use this feature to indicate important information found on the document. Enhance learning by finding and sharing videos that support the topic being discussed. Use edpuzzle, reviewed here, to add comments and question prompts for students. Upon completing student projects, extend learning by having stidents share their thoughts through a podcast featuring students' challenge solutions. Be sure to include a group of students in each podcast featuring various points of view and their backup documentation. Try using Acast, reviewed here, to create student podcasts.Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! - National Public Radio (NPR)
Grades
6 to 12Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! is a weekly podcast from NPR featuring celebrities and audience participation activities based on current news. Other prominent features from the podcast...more
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Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! is a weekly podcast from NPR featuring celebrities and audience participation activities based on current news. Other prominent features from the podcast include games like "Bluff the Listener." In this activity, participants hear three stories, two of them fictitious, and try to guess the correct one.
tag(s): journalism (74), listening (93), logic (161), news (228), podcasts (108), problem solving (233)
In the Classroom
Subscribe to this podcast and listen together as a class. This format provides many opportunities to develop listening and problem-solving skills and also provides an opportunity to teach skills for recognizing "fake news." After listening to several podcasts encourage students to create their own programs using a similar format. First, replace paper notecards and pen and have students plan out the podcast using Notejoy, reviewed here, where students can collaborate on the script and move the notecards around until they have their podcast just right. Strenghten learning by recording and publishing their podcast using Buzzsprout, reviewed here.Virtual Learning Journey: Civil Rights Movement - Georgia Public Broadcasting & Georgia Department of Education
Grades
5 to 12Transport learners back to the time of the Civil Rights Movement through a virtual learning experience. Listen to firsthand accounts, watch 14 videos, and explore many primary source...more
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Transport learners back to the time of the Civil Rights Movement through a virtual learning experience. Listen to firsthand accounts, watch 14 videos, and explore many primary source documents found along the learning path. The journey explores seven themes and topics based on the Civil Rights Movement. As students travel the path, this site offers the option to clip and save information to their device for later use. Download the User Guide for complete information on how to use the site, suggestions discussion questions, and extension activities.
tag(s): 1960s (26), black history (133), civil rights (209), cultures (180), martin luther king (45)
In the Classroom
Be sure to include this virtual learning experience as part of civil rights lessons and Black History Month activities. Include a link to the experience on classroom computers for students to explore on their own. As students travel along the learning path, replace pen and paper and engage them by asking students to use an online note taking tool like Webnote, reviewed here, to write down their thoughts and questions they may have. As students learn about Civil Rights events, have them enhance their learning by asking them to step back in time and create podcasts from this time. Use Podcast Generator, reviewed here, a free tool for creating and sharing podcasts. Extend learning by challenging students find an image from the Civil Rights movement and create an annotated image using Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
National Cowboy Museum - Online Unit Studies - National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Grades
3 to 8Learn about the exploration and pioneers of the American West through several online unit studies for middle school students in PDF format. Scroll down the page to find "Emigrants...more
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Learn about the exploration and pioneers of the American West through several online unit studies for middle school students in PDF format. Scroll down the page to find "Emigrants Crossing the Plains" utilizes the paintings of Albert Bierstadt created during his journeys along the Oregon Trail. "End of the Trail" focuses on the sculptures of James Earle Fraser depicting spiritual representations of Native Americans. Madonnas of the Prairie: Depictions of Women in the American West is found under Previous Exhibits Educations Guide and features works focusing on women in the late 19th century to the early 20th century. Each unit includes an introduction, discussion questions, and teaching activities. There are many more unit studies to investigate. Also check out Collection Highlights from the top menu, scroll down and find many works of art; scroll over the art to get the title then click the image to find more information about many topics from the old west.
tag(s): art history (102), artists (84), native americans (108), westward expansion (39)
In the Classroom
Add these teaching units to your current resources for teaching about westward expansion of America, Native Americans, the 1800's, or explorers. Have all students research and discuss other artwork depicting American expansion, ask them to use Padlet, reviewed here, to organize and curate their saved resources. Ask your more tech-savvy students to build a timeline of events based on westward expansion or Native Americans using Timeline Inforgraphic Templates, reviewed here, or choose from other timeline creation tools located here. Include images, web links, and videos to create interactive timelines. Use the "Wandering Western Chest" links as a starter to creating your own Western Chest. Include books, artifacts, drawings, and more and share as an introduction to your western unit.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
National Geographic Education - National Geographic
Grades
K to 12Explore the many resources shared by National Geographic at their home base created for educators. Monthly features highlight and share information related to current events. Select...more
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Explore the many resources shared by National Geographic at their home base created for educators. Monthly features highlight and share information related to current events. Select the "Teaching Resources" link to find ideas, activities, lessons, and units all searchable by grade and topic. Also, this section includes educational games and teacher guides. Choose the "Reference" link to find news and media information from the past plus current events. Be sure also to visit the "Mapping" section to find printable maps, mapmaking kits, and interactive maps.
tag(s): animal homes (57), biodiversity (36), climate (84), climate change (99), democracy (24), energy (133), habitats (92), map skills (63), native americans (108), oceans (149), planets (113), preK (270), space (222), stars (71), women (151)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and include the National Geographic site with your resources for planning social studies and science lessons. Share resources from the site on your interactive whiteboard then include a link on classroom computers for students to explore independently. There are many interesting articles and activities for students. Have them choose one; then, replace paper and pen by having them use an online notetaking tool like Webnote, reviewed here, to take notes or write questions as they research information online. Replace paper pen by asking students to write blogs sharing information learned using a site like edublog, reviewed here. edublog offers tools for creating class and individual blogs.Causes - Countable Corp
Grades
7 to 12Stay informed about the latest information on Congress and upcoming legislation with Countable. This site offers summaries of forthcoming and active legislation and includes links for...more
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Stay informed about the latest information on Congress and upcoming legislation with Countable. This site offers summaries of forthcoming and active legislation and includes links for viewers to share their thoughts with legislators. Follow trending information from the home page to view current topics and explore further. Find information on specific topics by choosing the "Issues" drop down box. Depending on the content, articles summarize information, offer options for commenting on either side of issues, and include specific bill information including Congressional Budget Office (CBO) scores and possible impacts of the legislation.
tag(s): branches of government (65), congress (40), debate (42), house of representatives (8), persuasive writing (58), senate (10), white house (16)
In the Classroom
If you teach government or civics, this site is a must-have to use throughout the year! Share the current legislative information with students on your interactive whiteboard or through a link on your class webpage. As you progress throughout your unit or research topics, ask students to collect links of information, videos, and images using an organizing and bookmarking tool like Raindrop.io, reviewed here. Students can then create a website sharing information on the topic using Webnode, reviewed here. Webnode is a free website builder that includes many templates and an easy to use format. Take learning a step further and ask students to compile information supporting their opinions and facts on a piece of legislation and create a video to share their thoughts with a tool like FlexClip, reviewed here. FlexClip is designed to allow you to create short animated or explainer videos to share on YouTube and other social media sites.Interactive Constitution - National Constitution Center
Grades
6 to 12Learn about the United States Constitution through discussions from constitutional experts and their thoughts on how the Constitution's history has implications for today. Begin by...more
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Learn about the United States Constitution through discussions from constitutional experts and their thoughts on how the Constitution's history has implications for today. Begin by selecting an article or amendment to view the wording contained in the Constitution, along with at least one feature discussing the specific impact of that piece. At the end of each article, go further in-depth with additional presentations titled Matters of Debate. These selections present two different interpretations about the legal applications of the specific portion of the Constitution within society.
tag(s): colonial america (95), constitution (96), philadelphia (10)